Biden to visit Georgia, Ukraine

WASHINGTON, July 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is going to Georgia and Ukraine to talk with political leaders there about democratic and economic reforms, the White House says.

A White House said in a release Friday that Biden, who will leave for Europe Sunday, also will meet with opposition leaders and non-profit group representatives.

The Wall Street Journal said Biden's scheduled visit to Ukraine comes as former parliamentary speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk is becoming a popular political figure among Ukrainian voters.

The former Ukrainian foreign minister's popularity has grown amid voters' concerns regarding an alleged presidential election plot that put President Viktor Yushchenko into power, the Wall Street Journal said

Yatsenyuk is scheduled to meet with Biden during his visit.